Blind Sided
by shimmerinstars
Summary: Blind sided by a relative, Riggs was trying to help. It opened the door for him to start trusting, and to move his and Roger's friendship forward.


**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

 **Summary:** Blind sided by a relative, Riggs was trying to help. It opened the door for him to start trusting, and to move his and Roger's friendship forward.

 **o0o**

Martin Riggs knew how much his late wife loved her cousin Michael Delgado. It's why he did everything possible to help him when he was arrested for drug trafficking.

Miranda adored the guy in spite of his tendency to get into trouble and be self-absorbed. She saw the good in people and focused on that. Martin loved that about her.

With Trish Murtaugh's recommendation of a good lawyer and Michael's cooperation with law enforcement, the original deal offered was reduced significantly. But there was no escaping prison time.

Recently married, with a child on the way Michael couldn't fathom the idea of being away from his wife, and missing his child's birth and early years. He refused to accept there wasn't a way out of this, even after being told repeatedly by his lawyer there was nothing more they could do. That they had been given the best deal possible.

Michael unable to wrap his head around the inevitable found a bar to help with that. A couple hours, and quite a few drinks later, he decided to stop at the precinct to make one final plea to Martin.

He was desperate and drunk and wanted a way out of this.

 **o0o**

"There's got to be something we haven't tried," Michael pleaded, growing more agitated, sitting beside Martin at his desk. Roger across from them. "I can't be away from my family!"

"I wish there was more we could do," Martin told him, feeling helpless, not having missed the man had been drinking, remembering what a nasty drunk he could be.

"It probably doesn't help much," Roger chimed in. "But Trish said the deal you got, was one of the best she's seen."

"You're right," Michael snapped at him. "It doesn't help."

"Hey, easy there," Martin interjected. "Roger is just trying to help."

"If you want to help," Michael stood up, talking loudly, catching the attention of everyone in the room. "Think of something to keep me out of prison!"

"The truth is," Martin spoke, in a calm voice, motioning to Roger that he had this, standing to face him. "There really isn't any thing left to do but serve your time."

"So you're giving up?" Michael looked at Martin in disbelief.

"No!" Martin assured him.

"I thought of all people you'd understand?" Michael shouted angrily at Martin.

"I do!" Martin replied."But as of right now we're out of options!"

"Then tell me, how did it feel not being able to see your child born?"

The room went silent. The words had hit their target. Riggs looking like he'd been kicked in the gut, dropped into his seat.

Roger, catching the pain on his partner's face, grabbed hold of Michael's arm and dragged him towards Bailey. "Get him the hell out of here. Drive him home, or get someone else to, just get him out of my sight!"

"Come on," Bailey grabbed his arm. Cruz stepping in to join her when Michael tried to twist free. Yelling his apologies to Martin who in the commotion had left the room.

 **o0o**

Roger had an idea where his partner had taken off to. But he was surprised not to find him seated on the ledge of the building's roof top.

"Hey Rog," A familiar voice called out from behind him.

Roger turned around to find Martin waving at him, seated on the ground, against the wall, near the door he'd just exited.

"Hey," Roger answered, moving over to take a seat beside him. Which came with awkward movements and grunting sounds.

"You okay there?" Martin questioned, with a slightly amused expression.

"Played some hoops this morning."

"How badly did she beat you?"

"I'd like you to know, I gave my daughter a bit of a challenge this time."

"Baby steps Rog. Baby steps. That way you'll beat her one day."

"That I will." Roger nodded.

"Did Michael get home okay?" Martin asked.

"He did," Bailey just called to confirm it."

"Good," Martin said, sounding relieved.

"What is it about this guy that I'm missing?" Roger asked, looking at his partner baffled.

"What do you mean?"

"Riggs, you've bend over backwards trying to help Michael. He's not shown any appreciation for it. You say he's family, be it a distant cousin. Yet it looks like you can barely tolerate the man. Now you're checking if he's okay, and after what he did tonight? There's more here than you're saying. But then we don't really talk about anything."

"That long list?" Martin asked, with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, the one that keeps getting longer."

"Michael is Miranda's cousin," Martin started to fill in the pieces. "They grew up together, kept in touch when they got older. He's a jerk, but she adored him Roger, and believed that he'd change and make better choices in his life and one day have a family of his own. She'd want me to help him."

"It's good that you did then," Roger said, softly.

"What he said inside," Martin started, then paused, his expression causing Roger to take notice of the difficulty of what he was about to say "Not sure if you know this. But Miranda was in labor, and on the way to the hospital when the truck hit her. She called me before leaving, told me I was about to become a Daddy. I was on my way from work to meet her. They were both gone before I got there."

"No. I didn't know," Roger said, barely in a whisper. "I'm sorry Martin."

"I know its in the hospital reports and Dr. Cahill knows from reading them," Martin explained. " But I've never told anyone this. Until now."

Roger acknowledged Martin's trust in him with a nod. He couldn't find the words.

"Hey," Roger said, getting back up on his feet. "How about getting a drink?"

"Sure," Martin said, lifting his eyes to find Roger's out stretched hand.

Glancing up at Roger than back at his hand, Martin grabbed hold and let Roger pull him up.

"Baby steps, you were right," Roger remarked, patting Martin's shoulder as they headed out the exit door. But he wasn't talking about basketball. Martin Riggs had taken a few baby steps back into the world of the living, by trusting him, with what hurts him the most.


End file.
